landscape design - Grow-How Blog

Landscape On a Budget

May 032012

By Sarah Lloyd, Dundee Landscape Designer

Now that I have my ideal landscape design can I have it installed in stages? Can I do some of the installation myself?

Installing a landscape plan in phases is a fantastic way to get the yard you ultimately want while working within your budget. The important thing is to make sure that each phase is part of a master plan. This way, each area is sure to blend in with the rest and look continuous. A professional Landscape Designer will help you create a master plan that fits your desires, needs, and budget. You can landscape on a budget!

Each phase can be as large or small as you want it to be. It usually works best to start in one area and work your way around the house in terms of priority level. This might mean starting with your front entryway, then the back patio space, then the sides or perimeter, and so forth. Starting with the front of the house is always a good idea because it can set the tone for your day. You see this area every morning when you leave for work and every evening when you get home. If you have a great front landscape it can help put a smile on your face. The back patio or yard space is often a second area to complete because it may be a primary view from inside your home or be your relaxing, free-time destination.

If completing one entire section is too much strain on the budget, consider installing the area itself in stages. One example of this is installing the planting beds (edging, rock/mulch, berms) in one stage and the plants in the second stage. If your budget allows, think about installing a few key plants right away and supplementing with the other plants as you are able.

Your landscape designer can help you determine the best, most efficient order for installing your plan. Your designer can also recommend which tasks would be easiest to install yourself and which might be better off installed by a professional installation crew. Either way, one of the most important bits of information you can give the designer is your budget, initially AND long term.

Rain Gardens

Garden Center, Landscape Design No Responses »

Apr 302012

By Brian Sullivan, Landscape Designer, Dundee Nursery and Landscaping

You may have heard about a recent trend in landscape design that incorporates rain gardens as an element in the landscape. Rain gardens are shallow depressions that are designed to capture rainwater runoff from the yard and impervious areas such as your driveway and roof. The rain garden acts as a filter, capturing contaminates and fertilizers from these surfaces before they enter our streams and lakes. Rain gardens also reduce the speed with which water leaves the property. Another benefit is increased wildlife habitat.

Rain gardens are planted with perennials and shrubs that filter contaminates and encourage infiltration of water into the soil. Plants are chosen based on the soil types and exposure. Generally rain gardens are planted to look like native systems, but I think that purposeful selection and placement of plants can result in a design that works in settings that range from the formal to rustic. The design of a rain garden can be composed to reflect the surrounding environment and the tastes of the homeowner.

There are several consideration in the design and placement of the rain garden. Rain gardens are generally 3 or 6 inches deep and sized between 7 – 10% of the area that is supplying water. The rain garden will be located in an area where it can capture the water and needs to be far enough away from your home to prevent the intrusion of water into your home. Remember to avoid underground utilities. The basin of the rain garden should be loosened to a depth of 12” to encourage the infiltration of water. Add composted leaf litter and till into bottom of the garden. Shredded hardwood mulch is used to help prevent the evaporation of water and inhibit the growth of weeds.

When designed correctly the rain garden will drain in two days. The rain garden will help in preventing the degradation of our environment, provide additional wildlife habitat, and add some beauty to our lives.

To Berm or Not to Berm…

Landscape Design 2 Responses »

Apr 232012

By Janalyn Fleming, Landscape Designer, Dundee Nursery and Landscaping

To berm or not to berm, that is the question. Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageously flat landscapes, or take arms against them and create “The Berm.”

I usually berm almost every garden I plan. I can’t help it, I really like the appeal of a planted mound of earth, whether large or small. It always shows off the plants to their advantage.

In case you’re wondering, a berm is a raised garden area, like a small hill, for the purpose of creating interest or height. With the right placement and plantings a berm can have many functions. A berm can help block an unappealing view and be planted with shrubs or evergreens for a privacy green screen. Or it can be a more subtle feature, useful in small garden areas, such as near foundations or along walkways. These mini berms are raised slightly, less than a foot, and often planted with smaller stature perennials, shrubs, and dwarf evergreens.

I’m of the natural-looks-better mindset for these raised garden areas. When planning a berm on a flat property, a long, undulating shape that gently rises out of the ground, looks more natural than a pimple-like bump in the lawn. A berm should have some peaks and valleys rather than all the same height and will also appear more natural by blending or connecting to an existing slope. And placing outcrop boulders in a steep-sided berm makes an interesting contrast for plants growing over and around the hard shapes, while helping to control erosion. One more thing I’d like to mention about shaping a berm; it’s important to be aware of water drainage, so that water runoff isn’t trapped in an unwanted place.

Apart from the aesthetics, another nice berm benefit is that many perennials perform better when growing in the looser soil of a berm than when planted in the compacted soil of the typical suburban yard. I like to use a garden mix soil, which is a blend of black soil and peat moss, then rake and shape the berm before planting. If possible, I plan a full garden, spacing so plants will be touching each other when mature, mimicking plants growing on their own in nature, but with a designer’s hand. Later on, this plant spacing will require less mulch coverage… oops, now I’m wandering into a different topic.

If something is rotten in the state of Denmark – or in your landscape – consider adding a berm. It is a much more pleasant subject to contemplate than poor Yorick’s skull.

Let’s Brighten Up Your Shade

Garden Center, Landscape Design 3 Responses »

Apr 162012

By Janalyn Fleming, Landscape Designer, Dundee Nursery and Landscaping

No, I’m not talking about cutting down a few trees to brighten your shade areas, although a little judicious pruning is a good way to shed some light on the situation. What I have in mind is taking a look at some of the many perennials that perform well in shade, or at least tolerate it admirably. For shade gardens, foliage is the most important design consideration, so plants with bright variegation or yellow-green leaves can make the darkness shine. But this time I’ll focus on a few yellow leafy shiners. I’ve used some of these in my gardens, and every year there are new introductions that I’m eager to try. Another bonus, most of these are deer and/or rabbit resistant, alas, except for the hostas.

Hakonechloa (Japanese Forest Grass) ‘Aureola’ (shown below) or ‘All Gold’ – This is an absolutely beautiful group of low maintenance grasses for shade. Zone 5 hardy, (Twin Cities area is Zone 4b) but with a little winter mulch or a protected location they can do quite well in the southern half of Minnesota. They appreciate a more humus-rich soil, so dig in some leaf mold or compost when planting. Please, be patient, they’re a slow starter in spring and take a few years to mature, but will become a graceful flowing mound. Fantastic falling over rocks or the edge of a patio. 9-14” H x 18-24” W

Fern – Athyrium ‘Ghost’ (Japanese Painted Fern) – Here’s a fern that’s frosted apple green, not quite yellow, but is very bright in the garden, almost ghostly. It has dark purple stems that hold the fronds upright. Another reason I’m a fan is that it’s taller than most Japanese Painted Ferns and tolerates dryer soil. 24-36” H x 18-24” W

Heuchera ‘Electra’ (Coralbells – Shown Below), Heucherella ‘Gold Zebra’ (Foamy Bells) – Heucheras & Heucherellas are plant relatives that I have in my top 10 list of favorite perennials. Long-lived, small mounding plants that are perfect for border edges, very low maintenance, and just plain cute. As a group they come in a huge variety of leaf colors, but the two mentioned here are shocking yellow with burgundy veining. They have the added bonus of flowering, small white bells on scapes held high above the foliage. Due to their smallish size, plant them in groups of at least 5 for the best impact. 8-10” H x 15” W

Dicentra ‘Gold Heart’ (Bleeding Heart) - Bleeding Hearts are well known with gardeners as being an old-fashioned perennial that appears very early in spring with delicate heart-shaped, rosy flowers. ‘Gold Heart’ is a newer take on the old-fashioned fave that features, yes, bright yellow foliage. The leaf color tends to mellow out as the summer progresses and the whole plant will die back to the ground mid-season. I think it’s lovely in a natural garden setting. 18-24” H x 24-36” W

Hostas: ‘Sun Power’, ‘Maui Buttercups’, ‘Dancing Queen’, ‘Fire Island’, ‘Sum and Substance’ We’re all familiar with hostas but I just have to mention them because there are some terrific yellow-leaved varieties that totally glow in shade. Hostas can make a real impact on the dark areas of a garden with their large leaves and blocky form. Group them together in large drifts or use individual plants as accents. Sizes vary.

Do NO Maintenance Landscapes Exist?

Garden Center, Landscape Design 1 Response »

Apr 022012

By Sarah Lloyd, Landscape Designer Unfortunately there are no such things as a no maintenance landscapes. Bummer! The best we can do is LOW maintenance. This is accomplished by good design, plant selection, and correct installation. The best landscapes use a variety of materials, both plant and hardscape. It is best to have [...]

Why Hire a Landscape Designer?

Landscape Design No Responses »

Mar 222012

By Gill Landis, Sales and Marketing Manager Dundee Nursery and Landscaping Hiring a landscape design professional allows you the opportunity to work with someone who has vast knowledge of plants and their needs, understands the construction of hardscape features, listens to your ideas, and has the creativity to pull it all together to craft your [...]

Introduction to Dundee Landscape Design and Installation

Landscape Design 10 Responses »

Mar 082012

Introduction to Dundee Landscape Design and Installation

By Gill Landis, Sales and Marketing Manager Dundee Nursery and Landscaping Many people are not aware that Dundee has a facility in Fletcher, Minnesota (near Rogers) where we have acres of greenhouses, trees and shrubs, plus materials and equipment for our landscape installers. Dundee has a team of 4 landscape installation supervisors who have a combined [...]